An electric motor may comprise an interior permanent magnet (IPM) motor or an IPM synchronous motor, or a multi-phase alternating current motor. During assembly, repair or field diagnosis, it can be difficult to determine efficiently and quickly whether the electrical connections between a motor or multi-phase motor and the motor controller (e.g., inverter) are correct. In the prior art, the phase sequence connection is sometimes checked by first rotating the motor (e.g., with terminals designed Va, Vb and Vc), with a test motor and, second, by observing the back electromotive force (back-EMF) generated between pairs of the electrical terminals (e.g., Vab and Vcb) via an oscilloscope, power analyzer or other applicable instrument. Third, while the test motor rotates the motor in the forward direction, the back-EMF generated between terminals Vcb shall lead the back-EMF generated between terminals Vab by about a 60 degree phase shift. Fourth, while the test motor rotates the motor in the forward direction, the back-EMF generated between terminals Vcb shall lag the back-EMF generated between terminals Vab by about a 60 degree phase shift. Fifth, the evaluator determines that the motor is properly connected to the motor controller if the above phase shifts are observed. Thus, there is a need for a simplified diagnostic test procedure, without the use of an oscilloscope or test motor, which can be incorporated into the motor controller or inverter to evaluate the correctness of electrical connections between the motor controller and motor.